G20 summit 2019: Trump meets leaders in Osaka

By Jessie Yeung, Ben Westcott, Kevin Liptak and Steve George, CNN

Updated 10:43 p.m. ET, June 29, 2019
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3:47 a.m. ET, June 28, 2019

Trump: I didn't promise Xi I'd hold off on tariffs

From CNN's Kevin Liptak and Ben Westcott

Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Beijing in November 2017. They are set to discuss the US-China trade war on Sunday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Beijing in November 2017. They are set to discuss the US-China trade war on Sunday. Nicolas Asfouri/AFP/Getty Images

One of the biggest moments of this year's G20 in Osaka is expected to be the meeting of US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping early on Saturday morning.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, Trump said he hadn't promised Xi that he would hold off on increasing tariffs if the Chinese leader met with him in Japan.

“We’ll see what happens and what comes out of it,” Trump said. “It will be a very exciting day, I’m sure. A lot of people are talking about it.”

Whether the bilateral talks on Saturday will help resolve the raging trade war between the US and China is anyone's guess.

According to a Wall Street Journal report on Thursday, Xi is planning to present Trump with a list of preconditions before any trade deal can be agreed to.

They include contested issues such as the removal of the US ban on selling to Chinese tech giant Huawei, as well as the lifting of tariffs by the Trump administration.

CNN has not been able to independently confirm the reporting. Speaking on Thursday, Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng said China won't accept a "unilateral trade bully."

3:35 a.m. ET, June 28, 2019

Putin: The "liberal idea" has "outlived its purpose"

From CNN's Sarah Dean

Russia's President Vladimir Putin arrives at Kansai International Airport prior to the G20 Osaka Summit in Osaka Prefecture on June 28.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin arrives at Kansai International Airport prior to the G20 Osaka Summit in Osaka Prefecture on June 28. Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

In an exclusive interview with the Financial Times Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled the end of the "liberal idea."

When asked about a backlash against the so-called establishment around the world, Putin said the "liberal idea" had "outlived its purpose."

"The obvious problem is the gap between the interest of the elites and the overwhelming majority of the people," he told the newspaper.

“Some elements of the liberal idea, such as multiculturalism, are no longer tenable."

When asked about the growing tensions between the US and Iran, Putin said tensions in the Gulf have become "more dramatic and explosive."

“The world has become more fragmented and less predictable, which is the most important and regrettable thing,” he said.

US President Donald Trump met with Putin for about 80 minutes on Friday, during which time the US leader joked with him about allegations of interference in US elections.

3:11 a.m. ET, June 28, 2019

Trump accepts Brazilian president's offer to visit Brazil 

From CNN's Samantha Beech

US President Donald Trump said he will visit Brazil, after Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro extended an open invitation.

Speaking to reporters ahead of their bilateral meeting, Bolsonaro said he has been a "great admirer" of Trump for a long time, even from before he was elected president. 

"It gives me great honor to be with you... I support Trump, I support the United States, I support your upcoming re-election and I do hope that you will come to Brazil and you have an open standing invitation to visit Brazil even before the upcoming elections," Bolsonaro said.

He added, "We stand together and ready to work closer and closer with you." 

In response, President Trump said he would come to Brazil and touted the country's "tremendous people." He then said the pair would be discussing "many things" including trade in their bilateral meeting. 

2:54 a.m. ET, June 28, 2019

Climate change protesters are calling on G20 leaders to stop funding coal

In the days leading up to the G20, people around the world held climate change protests, calling on world leaders to end funding for coal and fossil fuels.

“A country that has private and public banks funding coal here and across the world cannot be called a climate leader.” said Takayoshi Yokoyama of 350.org, an international environmental organization, in a statement.

According to 350.org, protests were held in Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Philippines this week.

Protesters wore masks of world leaders, including papier-mache figures of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Donald Trump.

PAK YIU/AFP/Getty Images
PAK YIU/AFP/Getty Images

2:54 a.m. ET, June 28, 2019

Trump sits down with Brazil President Bolsonaro

From CNN's Kevin Liptak and Ben Westcott

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro meets with US President Donald Trump during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28.
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro meets with US President Donald Trump during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28. Brendan Smialowski/AFP

US President Donald Trump is meeting with controversial Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro, his sixth and last major meeting of his first day at the G20.

Conservative Bolsonaro has been previously referred to as the "Trump of the Tropics," elected in October 2018 on a pledge to crack down on crime and grow the economy.

During their first face-to-face meeting at the White House in March, the two unconventional leaders bonded over their dislike of "fake news" and political correctness.

Bolsonaro's trip to the G20 has been anything but smooth. On late Tuesday, a 38-year-old Brazilian Air Force officer traveling with the president's G20 contingent was caught with 39 kilograms (roughly 86 lbs) of cocaine, prompting unwelcome headlines throughout Brazil.

Bolsonaro, who was traveling on a separate plane, reacted to the arrest late Tuesday via Twitter, saying that if proven guilty, the officer would "be judged and convicted by law."

2:22 a.m. ET, June 28, 2019

May to call on Putin to "go down different path" at G20 talks

From CNN's Ben Westcott

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May attends a working lunch at the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28.
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May attends a working lunch at the G20 summit in Osaka on June 28. Kiyoshi Ota/AFP/Getty Images

Outgoing UK Prime Minister Theresa May will use what is likely to be her last meeting as leader with Russian President Vladimir Putin to call on him to end his country's antagonistic actions.

In an interview with Sky News, May said that she would tell Putin his country had to end its use of cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns around the world.

"Russia can go down a different path if it desists from this sort of activity," she said.

May is expected to meet with Putin at 5 p.m. local time (4 a.m. ET). The UK leader stepped down in May this year.

May's tone is very different from the attitude of US President Donald Trump, who shared a laugh and a joke with Putin during their meeting in Osaka earlier today.

When asked by a reporter whether Trump would denounce Russian interference in the US elections, Trump wagged a finger at Putin jokingly. "Don't meddle in the election," he said.

2:18 a.m. ET, June 28, 2019

World leaders are worried about US-Iran tensions. Here's what you need to know

President Donald Trump signing an executive order imposing new sanctions on Iran on June 24, 2019.
President Donald Trump signing an executive order imposing new sanctions on Iran on June 24, 2019. Mark Wilson/Getty Images

The escalating US-Iran tensions are among the main topics of discussion at the G20, with several world leaders calling for de-escalation.

Here's what you need to know about the conflict:

  • How it began: Last week, Iran shot down a US military drone. US President Donald Trump ordered a retaliatory strike on Iran late last week, only to call it off at the last minute.
  • The US response: Trump announced "hard hitting" new sanctions on Iran this week, and threatened Iran with "obliteration."
  • The Iranian response: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said this week that the White House is "suffering from mental disability" and behaving as "no sane person." An Iranian spokesman said the sanctions have closed the "channel of diplomacy forever."
  • Where the world stands: France, Germany, and the UK released a joint statement, saying they are "gravely concerned." French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prime Mohammed bin Salman have both said they will discuss Iran with Trump at the G20.

2:14 a.m. ET, June 28, 2019

Women leaders at the G20

From CNN's Kevin Liptak

World leaders attend a family photo session at the G20 in Osaka.
World leaders attend a family photo session at the G20 in Osaka. Kim Kyung-Hoon/Pool/Getty Images

There were three women in this year’s G20 family photo — one more than last year, but still a near-low for women leaders at the G20 summit. 

The number only appears on track to get lower: British Prime Minister Theresa May will leave office in a few weeks, and her two potential replacements are both men.

2012 and 2013 have seen the highest numbers so far -- five women.

As it happens, one of the themes of this year's G20 is women's empowerment. 

Here's a look at which female leaders participated in past G20s:

  • 2019 — 3 women (British Prime Minister Theresa May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, IMF managing director Christine Lagarde)
  • 2018 -- 2 (May, Lagarde)
  • 2017 -- 4 (Merkel, May, Lagarde, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg)
  • 2016 -- 4 (Merkel, May, Lagarde, South Korea President Park Geun-hye)
  • 2015 -- 4 (Merkel, Lagarde, Park, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff)
  • 2014 -- 4 (Merkel, Lagarde, Park, Rousseff)
  • 2013 -- 5 (Merkel, Lagarde, Park, Rousseff, Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner)
  • 2012 -- 5 (Merkel, Lagarde, Rousseff, Kirchner, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard)
  • 2011 -- 4 (Merkel, Lagarde, Rousseff, Kirchner, Gillard)
  • 2010 -- 3 (Merkel, Gillard, Kirchner)
  • 2009 -- 2 (Merkel, Kirchner)
  • 2008 -- 2 (Merkel, Kirchner)

2:13 a.m. ET, June 28, 2019

Trump: "We have no rush" to resolve Iran tensions

US President Trump continued to insist on Friday he's in no rush to find a resolution for tensions with Iran.

"We have a lot of time. We have no rush. There’s absolutely no time pressure," Trump said as he was meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Trump was responding to a question about his message on Iran during the meeting. 

"In the end, hopefully it’s going to work out," Trump said. "If it doesn’t, you’ll be hearing about it."